THE STORY OF NAN 



strutted along the garden paths were comical to see. 

 Kate, the maid of whom she was very fond, caught her 

 in her apron, for the sight of the cage only drove her 

 deeper into the bushes. We would have given 

 her liberty now but she had always been so shielded and 

 taken care of we feared that she would fall a victim 

 to the first enemy that approached. 



From the very beginning Nan was a most fascina- 

 ting study in so-called animal psychology. All her 

 tricks were the result of her own invention, for we never 

 consciously taught her anything. In fact we carefully 

 refrained from doing so. How much was instinct, 

 how much imitation, how much, if any, what we call 

 "reason" I was never able to determine. One of her 

 tricks that seemed to savor of reasoning was to wait 

 until she saw me fully absorbed in writing, then light 

 on my head and pull each hairpin out, flying off with 

 almost a chuckle as the coiffure came tumbling down! 



Leading a life of the utmost quiet and regularity, 

 she hated the wind and a noise of any kind. The 

 whistle of the passing boats startled her, the lawn mower 



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